Starting 23 October 2026, the country will cease producing machine-readable passports (MRPs) and rely exclusively on electronic passports (e-Passports), the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports said.
From that date, every passport office in the country and Pakistan’s diplomatic missions overseas will issue only e-Passports to new applicants, the directorate stated.
The changeover had originally been set to begin on 15 October 2026, but it was later pushed back to 23 October 2026.
Once the revised deadline arrives, MRPs will no longer be issued under the new policy. Pakistan’s overseas missions have also issued formal notices about the switch.
